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ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,384
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,384
06/27/2008 2:39 pm
Individuals do not choose:

1. Where he or she is born.
2. What ethnic race his or her genes happen to be by accident of birth (color of skin, etc.).

Therefore these are not proper standards to use in judging them.

Individuals do choose:

1. What he or she thinks; the content of his or her mind.
2. What he or she does; the actions he or she decides to take.

Therefore these are proper standards to use in judging them.

Whether an individual is an Arab from Iraq, a Caucasian from Iowa, an African from Chad, an Asian from Vietnam, etc. is totally irrelevant in determining if that individual is morally good.

What is relevant is, the degree to which he or she thinks and acts rationally.

Does this individual earn his own way in the world? Does he produce the means of his own existence? Does he engage in productive behavior? If he chooses not to work and exist peacefully with others can he at least mind his own business and avoid interfering in or damaging other people's lives?

Or, does this individual exist by leeching the productivity of others? Does he engage in destructive behavior? Does he spend his time manufacturing imaginary grievances and claiming that mystical spirits are telling him to kill other people?

The old line about "Judge not ..." is doubly dangerously:
1. It gives destructive, irrational thoughts and actions a "free pass" when they should be condemned as morally wrong.
2. It ignores productive, rational thoughts and actions when they should be upheld and acknowledged as morally good.

It is crucially important to clearly identify and pass judgment on people; to identify the good and condemn the bad. But it is equally important that proper, objective standards be used to do this; based on the rationality of their thoughts and actions.
Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

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